Bengals Face Off Against Wildcats In Ogden Saturday Night

Pocatello, ID- The Bengals men's basketball squad will be returning to the court this Saturday, January 7^th to take on the Weber State Wildcats at 7 p.m. in the Dee Events Center in Ogden, Utah.
 
Weber State comes into the game with a record of 7-8 on the year and 2-0 thus far in Big Sky Conference play, winning their matchups last week against Northern Arizona and Northern Colorado. The Wildcats are averaging 68.1 points per game on 44.6 percent shooting from the field and 33.9 percent from deep. The Wildcats will look to make their mark on defense against the Bengals as the Wildcats are holding their opponents to just 68.3 points per game (2^nd in the Big Sky) and force 13.4 turnovers per game (3^rd in the Big Sky). The Wildcats have also made the most of their opportunities from the charity stripe this season, shooting 81 percent from the free-throw line (3^rd in the nation) and making 14.5 per game (75^th in the nation).
 
The Bengals will look to take control of the game early behind their tenacious defense and hot three-point shooting. Idaho State's defense has kept their opponents to just 29.9 percent from three-point land this season (55^th in the nation), average 3 blocks per game (2^nd in the Big Sky), and 6.5 steals per game (3^rd in the Big Sky). The Bengals have been lights out from three-point land averaging 8.7 threes per game (60^th in the nation) led by Brock Mackenzie who ranks second in the Big Sky in three-pointers per game and total three pointers made.
 
Tip will be at 6 p.m. in 6 p.m. in the Dee Events Center. Jerry Miller will call the game on KISU.

Weber State University (7-8)
Home (4-1), Away (2-5), Neutral (1-2)
ISU Recent Series vs. WSU
1/20/2022                 A                     L          95 - 63
1/17/2022                 H                     L          78 - 61
3/2/2020                    A                     W        78 – 70
1/16/2020                 H                     L          76 - 68 (OT)
 
University of Northern Colorado Recap
The Bengals men's basketball team came out victorious against the University of Northern Colorado Bears Saturday night, 90-83 in overtime.
 
The Bengals and Bears both came out of the gates strong and this looked to be a battle from the very beginning. As each team exchanged buckets throughout the first half the Bengals found themselves trailing the Bears by 11 with just over a minute remaining. However, following a 9-0 run capped off by a Jay Nagle buzzer beater the Bengals went into the break only down two. The Bengals took the lead early in the second half and staved off the Bears' comeback as long as they could, but the Bears managed to tie the game up following two free-throws with just four seconds remaining. As the Bengals and Bears went into overtime the Bengals grabbed the lead early and never looked back as they finished overtime 19-21 from the free-throw line and 31-35 (88.6%) for the game.
 
Brock Mackenzie led the Bengals offense tonight as he finished with 23 points, four rebounds, and four steals on 7-of-13 shooting from the field, including two three-pointers, and 7-7 from the free-throw line. Austin Smellie and Brayden Parker both added 16 points and six rebounds each while Maleek Arington chipped in with 10 points, making all eight of his free-throw attempts, three assists, and two steals off the bench.
 
Idaho State shot 42.9 percent from the field and 27.8 percent from deep making five three-pointers on their 18 attempts. The Bengals finished with 12 assists, 35 rebounds, and eight steals. The Bengal defense held Northern Colorado to 40.6 percent shooting from the field and 26.1 percent from deep. The Bengals were able to pull ahead early in OT and made sure to finish the game strong making their free-throws down the stretch tonight going 27-29 from the charity stripe in the 2nd half and OT. This win boosts the Bengals record to 5-10 on the season and 2-0 in Big Sky play.

The Returning 6
0    AJ Burgin        G    So.    6-3    205    San Diego, Calif.
2    Tommy Ball    G    Fr.    6-0    175    El Dorado Hills, Calif.    
5    Austin Smellie    G    Sr.    6-5    200    Preston, Idaho
13    Daxton Carr    F    Jr.    6-7    215    Pocatello, Idaho    
22    Jared Rodriguez    F    Sr.    6-8    215    Glendale, Ariz.    
25    Brayden Parker    C    Jr.    6-8    250    Preston, Idaho        

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1    Jay Nagle        F    Sr.    6-9    215    Vacaville, Calif.        
3    Ronnie Stapp    G    Jr.    6-6    185    Bakersfield, Calif.        
10    Miguel Tomley    G    So.    6-3    200    Surrey, BC        
11    Brock Mackenzie    G    Sr.    6-2    185    Sammamish, Wash.    
12    Turner Livingston    F    Fr.    6-4    195    Spokane, Wash.        
14    Jordan Hansen    G    Fr.    6-6    215    Seattle, Wash.      
 20    Briggs Ranstrom    F    Fr.    6-6    205    Eagle, Idaho
23    Maleek Arington    G    Fr.    6-3    200    Lake Tapps, Wash.    
24    Ed Chang        F    Jr.    6-8    215    Papillion, Neb.      
 32    Kolby Lee        C    Sr.    6-9    240    Meridian, Idaho    
44    Louis Stormark    C    Fr.    6-9    250    Alleroed, Denmark    
 
Bengal Bites

• Brock Mackenzie is currently 72^nd in the country in three-pointers made (37), and 32nd in the country in three-point percentage (43.0%)
• Brock Mackenzie and Miguel Tomley are both top 10 in the Big Sky in three-pointers per game and three pointers made
• The Bengals are currently 60^th in the nation in three-pointers made per game (8.7 per game)
• The Bengals' defense is currently 2^nd in the Big Sky and 57^th in the country in three-point percentage defense, holding opponents to just 29.9 percent from three this season
  • The Bengals' defense ranks 3^rd in the Big Sky in steals per game (6.5) and 2^nd in the Big Sky in blocks per game (3)
• The Bengals 90-83 overtime win against UNC on Saturday night was Head Coach Ryan Looney's first victory coaching Idaho State while allowing 80 or more points in a game.